Scout proposes memorial to fallen officers

Wednesday

Sep 23, 2009 at 5:10 AM

By JEFF RUSST-G Staff WriterA fallen officers memorial garden will be built at the Ashland County Jail by a teen working to become an Eagle Scout. The idea comes from Nick Kelley, a 17-year-old who needed an Eagle Scout project that would provide a service to the community. On Monday, he told the Ashland County commissioners he decided on this project because, “there is nothing for the public to pay their respects to fallen officers.”The project will be built on the north end of the jail toward the expansion office. It will have a tree in the middle of an enclosed area with markers for the county’s four fallen officers surrounding the tree. “After seeing what Nick has drawn up, it looks pretty nice to me and I think it will benefit the county and show the officers and their families that we will always remember them,” Sheriff’s Office Capt. Carl Richert said. Kelley will be in charge of the project, which he anticipates will take two weekends worth of work. He will recruit friends and fellow scouts to help him. He will begin working on it once he has raised the $800 required to complete the project. He is accepting donations, and money can be sent to him at 1003 College Boulevard, Ashland, Ohio 44805 in care of Kelley’s scout troop, BSA 586. Kelley said he wants to complete the project before Thanksgiving. Sheriff E. Wayne Risner, who also was present Monday, praised Kelley’s work and said it can only enhance the space outside the jail.“I applaud him for doing this project,” Risner said. “He’s a great kid, he has a great future and this is something that will last us a long time.”Also Monday, commissioners:n Approved a grant agreement between the Federal Aviation Authority and the Ashland County Airport for the airport to purchase a snowplow. The FFA provided 95 percent of the funding, and the airport put up the remaining 5 percent with the sale of its old snowplow. n Approved advertising to accept bids until 9:15 a.m. Oct. 8 for snow removal at various county parking lots. Commission president Kim Edwards said the number of lots plowed will be down from 11 to eight, and the county maintanence department will do some lots itself. n Jeff Russ can be reached at 419-281-0581, ext. 237, or jruss@times-gazette.com.

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